The Lady Pirates used dominating team golf at Hamilton Golf Club to seize the Class A state team championship, the fifth state title in school history and first since 2013, thanks to a two-day score of 753. The Lady Pirates in Friday’s opening round collectively carded a 379, then shot a 374 on Saturday to finish ahead of state runner-up Hamilton (773) and third place Frenchtown (788).
“They’ve had a great year and to win by 20 is pretty spectacular,” said Polson head coach Cameron Milton. “We set out this season to compete for a state championship and to prepare throughout the regular season with that one goal in mind.”
Team first was the mantra for the Lady Pirates this season, who had just four golfers and no seniors in their varsity lineup.
“I believe the girls only lost two regular season events,” explained Milton. “To not have a full team and consistently show up for each other is really incredible. Very rarely in golf do you get to compete as a team. Knowing you need to play well to support your fellow teammates is a different kind of pressure which the Lady Pirates always welcomed.”
Individually, Ashley Maki shot 87 on Friday, then 87 again on Saturday to finish third overall at 174.
“Ashley Maki has been the backbone of the team and she had a strong tournament,” said Milton.
Maki was joined in the top-15 by Clare Konen, who finished tied for ninth with a 95-95-190 and Kylee Seifert who tied for fourteenth by carding a 103-90-193.
Kila Cannon wasn’t far out of the top 15, finishing tied for nineteenth at 94-102-196.
“Sophomore Kila Cannon came in with her lowest round of the year to pick up her teammate Kylee Seifert who was battling an illness. Without her score day one would’ve been much closer,” noted Milton.
2022 Class A State Golf
Hamilton Golf Club – Hamilton
Final results
Girls
Team scores
1, Polson (Pol) 753; 2, Hamilton (Ham) 773; 3, Frenchtown (Fre) 788; 4, Laurel (Lau) 804; 5, Billings Central (BiC) 814; 6, Livingston (Liv) 857; 7, Sidney 880; 8, Ronan (Ron) 916; (<4): Miles City (MC), Lockwood (Loc) Havre (Hav), Dillon (Dil), Whitefish, Lewistown, Stevensville, East Helena, Libby, Columbia Falls.
Top 15 all-state placers
1, Katie Lewis (Fre) 77-76-153; 2, Karsyn Swigart (MC) 86-84-170; 3, Ashley Maki (Pol) 87-87-174; 4, Kiaralynn Weidinger (Loc) 92-90-182; Jori Haugen (BiC) 94-90-184; t6, Alyssa PrettyOnTop (Ron) 92-93-185; t6, Emma Hollingsworth (Ham) 96-89-185; 8, Camille Poncin (Liv) 95-94-189; t9, Clare Konen (Pol) 95-95-190; t9, Shea Reber (Hav) 95-95-190; t11, Skylar LaPierre (Dil) 96-96-192; t11, Anna Prill (BiC) 100-92-192; t11, Molly Cooney (Lau) 98-94-192; t14, Brooklyn Brown (Ham) 98-95-193; t14, Kylee Seifert (Pol) 103-90-193.
NWA team individual scores
POLSON (379-374-753) – 3, Ashley Maki 87-87-174; t9, Clare Konen 95-95-190; t14, Kylee Seifert 103-90-193; t19, Kila Cannon 94-102-196.
RONAN (490-426-916) – t6, Alyssa PrettyOnTop 92-93-185; 45, Hanna Lytton 126-105-231; 46, Madisyn Evelo 128-105-233; 50, Emma Smith 144-123-267.
WHITEFISH – t16, Stella Jaffe 99-95-194; 40, Leia Brennan 112-109-221.
LIBBY – t43, Mackenzie Foss 117-107-224.
COLUMBIA FALLS – 49, Addy Bowler 127-123-250.
Montana Sports
Class A state golf: Two first-time champions from Frenchtown and Livingston; Polson and Laurel earn team trophies
HAMILTON — Katie Lewis may be small in stature, but she cast a long shadow Saturday at the Hamilton Golf Club.
The sophomore became the first golfer from Frenchtown to medal at the State A meet, winning by a whopping 17 strokes in rainy conditions. She finished a perfect 11-0 in tournaments this season.
“It’s pretty cool,” the 15-year-old said with a chuckle. “It was a ride to get here and it’s pretty sweet to do this playing for Frenchtown.
BILL SPELTZ, Missoulian
“My dad (Jim) has always encouraged me to be out there. It’s fun to play with him. My putting is probably the biggest thing that has changed (since taking third at state in 2021). I’ve worked on it a lot.”
Lewis finished with a 36-hole score of 9-over 153. Karsyn Swigart of Miles City was runner-up at 26-over 170 and Polson won the girls team championship behind a third-place finish by Ashley Maki at 30-over 174.
2022 Class A State Golf
Hamilton Golf Club